Senior Waratahs players insist the renewed push for departing coach Ewen McKenzie to be reinstated next season will not hamper preparations for Saturday's semi-final showdown against the Sharks at the Sydney Football Stadium.
McKenzie was informed on April 1 that his services would not be required beyond the 2008 Super 14 campaign and has since been linked to French club Stade Francais as well as the vacant Crusaders post.
And although they were once again forced to deflect questions regarding their coach's future on Tuesday, veteran prop Al Baxter insists McKenzie's future could not be further from the player's minds.
"We're not really concerned by it, we weren't when it was (around) initially in the season and we're not really now," Baxter said.
"If we're not concentrating on the final we've got something wrong with us and that's what we're doing."
"We're making sure we're concentrating on the final and if we don't do well this weekend it's going to be a whole different story isn't it."
"We haven't even talked about it (or) thought about it, it's all about the finals at this stage."
In-form No.8 Wycliff Palu echoed Baxter's sentiments but conceded he still has a soft spot for the man who helped transform him into an established Wallaby.
"He's been a big part of my career and I'm not going to lie about that," Palu said.
"If he's hanging around it'd be good for me, I enjoy playing under him."
Palu was instrumental in his side's 25-10 victory over the Sharks four weeks ago, bagging a try-scoring double and dominating in general play.
But the imposing 25-year-old knows the past will count for nothing when the two sides face off for a spot in the decider on Saturday.
"I'm not taking that into account, the last time we played them," Palu said.
"Semi-final football, it's a different story and I've been in this position in the World Cup with the Aussies."
"All the games in the (regular-season) rounds don't mean anything if you go out there and lose."